Ink transfer member and method of making the same



' p 1933. G. E. PELTON 1,904,62

INK TRANSFER MEMBER AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed May 5, 192'! Patented Apr. 18, 1933 UNITED STATES GEORGE E. PELTON, 01' LOS. ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, PELTON COMPANY, A CORPORATION PATENT OFFICE ASSIGNOR we ran Gnome n. or DELAWARE Application filed Kay 5, 1927. Serial No. 189,180.

This invention relates to improvements in what are generally known as typewriter ribbons, and for convenience, such term will be hereinafter used in the description of the invention, altho it is, of course, to be interpreted broadly as including any of those reproducing instrumentalities in tape form adapted for use not only on typewriters but on various other kinds of machines, such as adding machines, cash registers, time clocks, etc.; or,-in other Words, all kinds of printing mechanisms in which the ink is not applied directly to the impression means.

The invention is particularly adapted for use with the new electrically operated typewriters which have recently been put on the market, the operation of which puts a terrific strain on the ribbon. This is especiall noticeable upon the edges of the ribbon. hile such electrically operated machines greatly relieve the typist, they materially increase the strain and wear upon the ribbon. The li htest feather touch of the typists fingers, when making sixteen or more carbon copies simultaneously, brings into operation an electric motor which causes the type to strike against theribbons front surface or the surface towards the type with a force many times greater than with any hand operated typewriting machines. Such very severe blows quickly injure the threads of prior fabrics and especially the edges of both woven and glued edge ribbons. It may also be noted that with the old style of typewriting machines, the type never closel engaged the edge of a relatively wide ribbon formerly used, and there was little or no force tending to wear the threads very thin and stretch or cut them like the force of an electric typewriter which drives the type bars equipped with very small sharp edged type such as the micro or elite type. Such type faces require the use of very thin fabrics, and while the additional strength needed in a ribbon for electric machines can be secured by using much thicker and stronger materlals, yet such materials do not permit one to use small type. The modern typewriting machine also puts a very great strain upon the ribbons edge when shi ting for capitals.

Take the Underwood as typical. The ribbon feeding mechanism is connected with the type actuating mechanism and in writing capital letters each type bar stroke lifts the ribbon high up above its normal position, and the surface of the ribbons towards the type pulls tensely against the sharp edges of the rib bon guide.

Whether the edge is glued or woven, when electric machines such as those above mentioned are employed, I find that when makmg many carbon copies simultaneously that the impact of the type against the threads of the ribbon is so great as to wear the threads thin, make them baggy and they sag and wrinkle and curve in the machine instead of retaining their shape and lying flat in the machine as they must to give fine results.

It is therefore the primary object of my invention to produce an inking ribbon capable of withstanding the severe wear to which such ribbons are subjected under modern conditions to the end that their useful life may be extended. I have attained this object by applying to that face of the ribbon which will be struck by the type a tough, flexible wear-resisting coating of one of the cellulose esters, such as pyroxylin, and then inking the coated ribbon. Although the use of such a coating tends to prevent unravelling along the edges I prefer to enclose the edges of the ribbon with a similar material.

Preferably I use as the fabric base of my ribbon a specially woven silk material, not less than two thousandths of an inch thick and not more than six thousandths of an inch thick, according to the use and the machine which employs said material as an inked ribbon for writing; both the warp and the filling are woven very closely of yarn that is pure, unadulterated silk of first quality and of very soft character. The closer the weave of the warp and filling and the better the quality of the weavers work, the better the results will be from the material when used asan inked ribbon because of the exacting requirements as to uniform thickness, ab-' sence of flaws or-knots or tied threads, or frayed or broken threads, when said material is bsed in modern typewriters equipped with very small type. It is readily seen that yard lengths and not less than forty-two inches in width. It is customary to use some sizing or stiffening material in silk cloth which is to be slit and the edges glued and the material used in making inked ribbons for typewriters. This sizing or starch orgum material which is used cuts down just that much the absorbing and inkretaining capacity of the silk threads, and does this not only on the side the type strike against but also all thru thethreads and on the side towards the writing paper. It is preferable to use no sizing material whatever to stiffen the silk material, preparatory to slitting. The natural gum in the threads of silk must of course be entirely removed or boiled off, and the material may be finished in any suit able manner but must not be starched or sized if the best results are to be obtained later when the material receives its ink supply at the inked ribbon factory.

The silk material is wound by machinery for that purpose upon a tube of suitable diameter and length and is then coated by means of a coating machine or other suitable equipment with a very thin layer of cellulose material and dried. The coating should be done before any ink is applied because one cannot properly strengthen silk or other fibres which have a coating of ink on the surface or side to which the coating of cellulose or other reinforcing material is to be applied. The ingredients in or composing the ink prevent a cellulose or other reinforcing coating material from adheringto same to an extent equal to that with which such coating material will adhere to the uninked threads or fibres themselves.

' The fabric may be narrow strips with woven edges, exactly the right width for use in the particular type of machine which is to use same as a vehicle for carrying ink and as an inked ribbon for writing. In this case, of course, much smaller machines and equipment are used for coating the material. The present invention is not limited to woven edge inked ribbon material nor is it limited to glued edge inked ribbons or ribbons WhlCl'l have been slit from wide goods by suitable slitting machines and the edge threads or raw ends fastened by some suitable adhesive.

I preferably use a wide web of silk material which, after coating, is slit into ribbons of the desired width. The material feeds into the slitting machinery very much more efliciently than soft uncoatedmaterial and does not wrinkle and fold and curl, and there will be little or no danger of having frayed edges. By

reason of the powerful coating material which has been applied the mate rial has been reinforced and better withstands the tension and strain put upon it by the slit ting and windin machinery. It is also true that when coate the woven edge and glued edge ribbons have much greater tensile strength and are better able to withstand all strain put upon them by winding, inking, finishing and spooling equipment. I prefer to slit the material before it is inked.

After being slit into the required widths,

altho all of the threads have been fastened together and reinforced and greatly strengthened by the coating material, I prefer tc apply a strip of Dupont cellulose cement, or other suitable impervious cellulose or adhesive material, to the edges of the ribbons.

In prior silk ribbons it has been the practice to put a line of gum or other adhesive to simply close the raw ends and bind them to each other continuously. This gum or adhesive is pervious to ink and absorbs ink. Although my coating itself binds the edges of the ribbon, I prefer to fill the rest of the absorbing capacity left in the opposite and uncoated sides of the edges with cellulose or other suitable cement or adhesive material. One of the principal reasons why I prefer to use silk material of the specifications and characteristics mentioned above is that due to the uniform diameter of the threads and fibres, it is possible to apply a uniformly even coating of the cellulose or other mate rial on one side of the ribbon, and it is also possible to meet the very exacting, rigid requirements of modern typewriting machines which write along the edges of inked ribbons, because with silk edge threads the edging material is ap lied uniformly and is absorbed uniform y not only as to the raw ends which. are bound together but it enables one to perfectly and exactly bind the raw ends of the filling threads or crosswise threads to the Warp or lengthwise threads along the said edges, thereby greatly strengthening and reinforcing said edges 'to better meet the requirements of modern electric and other machines as set out above where the type strike against the surface of the inked ribbon and where the type put astrain on the edge of the ribbon when the machine shifts for capital letters and also the strain on the edge of the ribbon due to its rubbing with tension upon the sharp metal edges and surfaces of the vibrator. of the machine.

I prefer to not only put the strip of cellulose material to bind the raw ends together but also to entirely fill up the filling or cross- 'Wise threads where they come in contact with or touch or join or lap around the lengthwise or warp threads, and the warp threads, lying very close to the outer edges of the silk ribbon or other fibre material, are completely saturated and loaded with suitable cellulose or other material and cemented or joined to the said crosswise threads on the side opposite to that which received the coating at first before the material was slit into ribbons. This results in a ribbon that not only has all of its thread on one side covered by a powerful coating which reinforces and greatly strengthens said ribbon but also it results in a ribbon which has its warp threads and filling threads and raw ends all joined together and the outer edge threads are further strengthened because said cellulose or other adhesive is in both surfaces of said threads binding said threads together as to both sides of the Nbbon for a slight distance in from each edge of said ribbons but also to said warp.

I prefer to now ink said ribbons and to apply the ink on the side opposite that which was coated before the material was slit. If the ink applied is a thin ink or is similar to the inks used for making lightly inked typewriter ribbons, it may be applied on both sides of the fabric or silk material by means of the usual ink rolls. As one side of the silk or other fabric material has already received a coating, very little ink will be absorbed on the coated side even though the material or fabric or silk base is passed right through an ink container and through ink rolls which press out the surplus'ink. Such a thin ink will be almostentirely in that part of the threads or fibres which have no coating and consequently even if applied on both sides, there will be a very slight amount of ink coming in contact with the type.

The resultant ribbon now has its ink supply where it can be most efficiently 'given out upon the writing aper, and said ink cannot be wasted by t e type striking directly into the threads or fibres which in prior ribbons are saturated with ink and have as much ink to give out on the type side as on the side towards the writing paper. By reason of the cellulose coating on the one surface of the ribbon which the type strike against, the type cannot strike directly into the threads or fibres of silk or other material, thus picking up fibres-to clog and fill the type. By reason of said ribbon material being greatly strengthened and reinforced as set out above, it lies flat in the machine, retains its shape, the threads do not wear thin and become roughened and ragged in appearance and under the most severe pounding of small metal type in electric machines making many carbon copies simultaneously said ribbon material is in good condition after being reinked and used a sec- 0nd time. The coating which I employ does not saturate the fabric and thus impair the ink-carrying capacity of the ribbon, nor does it react injuriously with the ink nor absorb moisture in damp weather.

The accompanying drawing shows b way of'illustration how my invention may e applied to a typewriter ribbon, and this drawmg is a fragmentary cross section of the ribbon greatly magnified, the middle portion of the ribbon being broken away. In this drawing A represents the fabric of the ribbon, one face of which has a coating B of a cellulose ester composition applied thereto, this face of the ribbon being the one which is struck by the type. C represents an impervious cellulose composition which impregnates the edge portions of the ribbon.

While I have described my invention as employin a base fabric of silk, it is to be understood, owever, thatcotton, artificial silk, ramie silk, paper, rubber, or combinations of any of these or even very thin strips of cellulose material, may be employed.

I have found that a pyroxylin solution is well adapted as the coating material but other materials having the same qualities such as kataloid acetate or other cellulose esters might be used.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. The method of making inking ribbons which comprises coating the face of a strip of closely woven, tight, compact, uninked fabric which is to be struck by the type, with a cellulose ester to form a coating of such character that it is securely attachedto said uninked fabric without the use of any liquid cement or other foreign material and said coating not being sufliciently pervious to permit ink to be screened therethrough and transferred therethrough, and said coating not impregnating said fabric and not filling up the interstices of said fabric, and applying ink to the fabric'and filling the fabric from face to face and into the coating and into the interstices of the fabric with ink, the coating being applied solely to the face of the fabric-which is away from the writing surface and towards the type, and said coating being distinguished by the fact that it is dry and non-injurious to ink at the time the ink is applied to said coated fabric.

2. The method of making inking ribbons which comprises coating the face of a web of unsized, unstarched closely woven, tight, compact, uninked silk material which is to be struck by the type, with a cellulose ester Without the use of any third material between said coating of cellulose ester and said'silk material, and then slitting the web into ribbons of the desired width, and inking the ribbons.

3. The method of making inking ribbons which comprises coating one face of a strip of uninked fabric with a cellulose ester without the use of a third material between said coating and said uninked fabric, impregnating the edge portions of the ribbon with a cellulose ester impervious to ink, and then filling the remaining portions of the fabric with ink and said coating is unfit for screening ink therethrough and is a wear-resisting coating for extending the life of the fabric material silk, and said coating does not impregnate the silk material and does not fill the interstices of same, and then slitting the web into ribbons of the desired width, impregnating the edges of the ribbon with a cellulose ester impervious to ink, and then filling the remaining portions of the fabric with ink.

5. The method of making inking ribbons which comprises coating the face of a strip of closely woven, tight, compact, uninked fabric which is to be struck by the type with a cellulose ester which does not impregnate the base and does not fill the interstices of said base fabric and said coating is unfit for screening ink therethrough to the type faces but is expressly for increasing the wear of the fabric material, and said coating is applied. to said fabric before any inking is done and then applying ink to both faces of the coated ribbon, filling the fabric with said ink and filling the interstices of said fabric with ink.

6. The method of making inking ribbons which comprises coating the face of a web of unsized, unstarched, closely woven, tight, compact, uninked silk material which is to be struck by the type with a cellulose ester, which does not impregnate the silk material and does not fill the interstices of said material and said coating is unfit for screening ink therethrough to the type faces but'is expressly for the purpose of increasing the wear of the silk material, and said coating is applied to said silk before any inking is done, and slitting the web into ribbons of the desired width, impregnating the edges of the ribbon with a cellulose ester impervious to ink, and then applying ink to both faces of the coated ribbon, filling the silk material with said ink and filling the interstices of said silk material with ink.

7. The method of making ink transfer members which comprises superficially coating an uninked, closely woven, tight, compact, base material with a thin film of pyroxylin solution, sufliciently pervious to retain and contain at least one ingredient of the materials which make up and comprise ink but unfit for transferring ink therethrough and said pyroxylin solution being of" such character' as to form a powerful, wear-resisting, protective film and being on the side of the ink transfer member towards the type and beingdistinguished by its capacity to keep the ink from fouling the type, said coating being-attached tothe uninked base material and united to the surface of the base to form a flexible and tough impact-receiving surface, without impregnating the base and without filling the interstices thereof, no third material such as liquid cement or other foreign material'being used-in attaching said film or coating to said uninked base material, and said coating and base being thoroughly dried before-inking so as to eva orate all solvent material in said coating or m, and then inking said base material, filling the fibers of said base from face to face but not through the coating to the outer face of the coating or film, and filling the interstices of the base with ink, the pyroxylin coating being applied solely on the face of the base toward the type,

but the fibers of the base'and the base, exclusive of the film ink.

8. The method of making ink transfer members, which comprises superficially coating one face of a closely woven, tight, compact, base material which contains no ink with a thin film composed of pyroxylin solution applied without penetrating the interstices of said base material so as to reduce the ink absorbency of said base material and without impregnating the base material with said pyroxylin solution, and said coating being unfit for ink to be transferred therethrough to the type faces, and drying said coating thoroughly before-any inking is done to any portion of said base material, and when same is thoroughly dry and all solvents originally in said pyroxylin solution have been evaporated to an extent that the dry film cannot, when attached to said base or coating, being filled with material without the use of a third material such as liquid cement or other foreign material, injure the ink later applied to said base material, and then inking said base material by applying 'ink to the uncoated side which 'is away from the type and towards the writing surface and impregnating the base with ink and filling the interstices with ink and said ink extending from face to face of'said base material and penetrating or being retained slightly by the surface of said film and at least one of'the ingredients of eiaid ink discoloring the outer surface of said 9. The method'f'of making ink transfer members for use in typewriting and other printing machines which comprises applying a thin cellulose ester coating directly to an uninked base material comprising uni-nked, closelywoven, compact, tight, silk fabric, free from starch, sizing and foreign materials which may reduce its ink-absorbsilk fabric, and thoroughly drying said coat ing and then applying ink to the uncoated face and filling the interstices-of said silk fabric with ink and impregnating the silk fabric with ink and said cellulose ester material is of such character that it will permit at least one ingredient of a thin typewriter ribbon ink to be retained on its surface to some extent. permanently discoloring said surface along one face of boiled-off silk fabric free from starch, sizing and other foreign material, cuttin said fabric into ribbons,

and thereafter inking said ribbons.

10. That improvement in the art of making silk inking ribbons comprising the use for that purpose of a very closely woven, tight, compact, uninked silk fabric base, and boiling off said silk fabric base, and using no sizing and no finishing material and other foreign material in said uninked silk base in preparing the silk fabric for its cellulose coating, and applying a coating of a cellulose ester material along one face of said uninked silkbase, said cellulose ester coating being thoroughly dry and all solvents having been evaporated that might injure the ink later applied to said silk material, and said coating being distinguished by itsinability to transfer 111k therethrou h and said'coating does not impregnate said silk material and does not fill up the interstices of said silk and does not materially impair the ink-absorbing capacity of said silk fabric base material, and thereafter impregnating the absorbent fabric base so coated with a suitable ink. a

11. That improvement in the art of making inking ribbons comprising applying a thin coating of a cellulose ester or analogous ---cellul0se material over one face only of a sheet of uninked, compact, closely woven tight, absorbent fabric previously free of natural gum and all foreign materials,

, and drying said coating thoroughly before applying ink to said coated fabric, and said coating being distinfguishea by the fact that it is unfit for trans erring ink'therethrough and -it does not impregnate said fabric and does not fill the interstices of said fabric and does not materially reduce the ink absorbing capacity of said fabric, and, after saidcoating is thoroughly dry and the solvents of said cellulose ester coating material are evaporated to an extent that said' coating cannot injure the ink later put into it, cutting the sheet into ribbons, and'inking the coated ribbons thus produced on at least the uncoated face thereof.

12. The method of making inking ribbons which comprises coating one face of a strip of closely woven, tight, com act, uninked fabric with a cellulose ester w ich does not im regnate the base and does not fill the interstlces of said base fabric and said coating is-unfit for screening ink therethrough to the type faces but is expressly for increasing the wear of the fabric material, and said coating is applied to said fabric before any inking is done and then applying ink to bot faces of the coated ribbon filling the fabrics with said ink and filling the interstices of said fabric with ink.

1 3. The method of making inking ribbons wh1ch comprises coating one face of an uninked paper base material with a cellulose ester and then impregnating the edge portions of the base with a cellulose ester impervious to ink said coating being unfit for screening ink therethrough and said coating does not impregnate said base nor fill the interstices of said base, and there is no third material such as liquid cement, gelatine or an adhesive or other foreign material between said coating and said base material.

14. The method of making ink transfer members which comprises applying a cellulose ester material to one face only of a closely woven, tight, compact uninked base material, which contains no liquid cement and no gelatine and no other foreign material, and no ink, and allowing the solvents in the cellulose ester material to dry and to evaporate, and forming a coating on the one face of the base which does not impregnate the base and does not fill the interstices of the base and which is unfit for passing ink therethrough, and then inking said base ma terial and impregnating the base with ink .and filling the interstices of the base with ink, said coated face to be towards the type and no coating to be on the face away from the type, said face being filled only with ink.

15. The method of makin ink transfer members which comprises ma 'ng that face of an uninked absorbent base material of the character described, on the side towards the type, less absorbent than the face away from the ty e, which latter face is to have no coating 0 any kind and then inking said base material on at least the face towards the writing surface and filling the interstices of the base with ink and the face towards the type to be so non-absorbent that ink cannot be transferred thru same to the type faces but said face towards the type to be of such material and consistency that it is distinguished by its capacity to retain and contain at least one ingredient of a thin typewriter ribbon ink on and in its surface, and winding said ink transfer member so that the base full of ink is in intimate contact with the face which goes towards the type.

16. An ribbon comprising a strip of fabric having an absorbent body portion carrying ink, and a gating of a cellulose ester on one face said coating being fastened to the uninked body portion without the use of any adhesive or liquid cement or other materlal between said coating and said body portion, said ribbon having the edges impregnated with a cellulose ester impervious to ink.

17. An inking ribbon comprising a strip of fabric having an absorbent ink-carrying body portion, a coating of a cellulose ester on one face, said coating being fastened to the uninked body portion without the use of any adhesive or liquid cement or other material between said coating and said body portion, and a binding of a cellulose ester saturating the edges of the fabric and rendering them non-ink absorbent.

18. An inking ribbon comprising a strip of fabric having an absorbent body portion impregnated with ink, a coating fastened to.

the uninked body portion without the use of any adhesive or liquid cement or other material between said coating and said body portion, said ribbon having its edges impregnlalged w th a cellulose ester impervious to 1 19. An ink transfer member comprising an absorbent, dry, uninked paper base, ink, a coating material, said aper base being coated on one face only wit a cellulose ester secured to the uninked base material without the use of a third material between the base and said film or coating, and without penetrating the paper base sufiiciently to materially reduce the ink-absorbing capacity thereof, said film being of suflicient density to prevent the passage of ink therethrough to an extent sufficient to supply ink to a writing surface, said film being applied to the side towards the type and away from the writing surface and said film being unfit for screening ink through to the type faces, and said base carrying ink in the interstices thereof and in the body portion of the base.

- 20. An inking ribbon comprisin an absorbent body portion comprisin fa ric carrying ink and a coating of ce lulose ester, which is suificiently pervious to contain and retain on the surface of the coating at least one ingredient of the materials forming a thin typewriter ribbon ink, .but said coating being of a composition and construction unfit for use as a screen for the passage of ink therethrough to the type faces and said coating being only suitable for use on the face of the ribbon struck by the type, and being applied to the base or fabric material prior to any inking of any portion of said base or fabric material and said coating and said base being a unit material firmly united without the use of any adhesive or liquid cement or other third material between said coating and said base or fabric material.

21. A typewriter ribbon comprising an absorbent combination of silk and cotton and having a face of the fabric coated with a wear resisting material pervious to ink without impairing the ink absorbing capacity of the remainder of the ribbon, and an ink supply absorbed by the fabric.

22. An inking ribbon comprisingan absorbent bodyportion comprising fabric carrying a coating of a cellulose ester attached to the said fabric before any inking of the fabric which is slightly pervious to ink, on the face of the ribbon struck by the type, but unfit for screening ink 'therethrough, the edges of the ribbon being impregnated with a cellulose ester impervious to ink.

23. An inking ribbon comprising a strip of uninked fabric coated on one face only with a protective film of a cellulose ester applied directly to the fabric on. the face thereof to be struck by the type without impregnating the fabric, said coated fabric having its edges impregnated with an impervious cellulose ester and the remaining portions of said fabric being filled with ink.

24. An inking ribbon comprising a strip of uninked fabric coated on one face only with a protective film of a cellulose ester applied directly to the fabric on the face thereof to be struck by the type without impregnating the fabric, said coated fabric having ink applied to both faces thereof.

' 25. An ink transfer member comprising an uninked, closely woven, tight, compact fabric base material, coated on one side with a superficial protective film of cellulose ester unfit for use as a screen to transfer ink therethrough to the type faces and said coating, extending into the fabric to a slight depth and united to the fibers of the fabric to form a flexible and tough type impact receiving surface without impairing the ink absorbing capacity of the opposite side of the ink transfer member, and an ink supply absorbed by the fabric, and said coating does not impregnate said fabric and does not fill up the interstices of said fabric and the fibres of the fabric are impregnated with ink and ink fills pacity thereof, said film being of suflicient density to prevent the passage of ink therethrough to an extent sufficient to supply ink to a writing surface, said film being applied to the type side of said transfer member, and an link supply absorbed by said base materia 27. A typewriter ribbon comprising an absorbent combination of silk'and cotton and having its edges impregnated with a cellulose ester impervious to ink. f

28. An ink transfer member comprising a base fabric of absorbent silk and cotton in combination, said base being'closely woven, tight, compact and uninked 'at the time it is coated with'a cellulose. ester material on the face towards the type, only, and said coating consisting of 'a' material unfit "for use asa' screen to pass ink therethrough to the type faces and being expressly -for'increasing the wear resistance of said-silkand cotton base material, and said coating does'not impregnate said silk and cotton material and does not fill the interstices of same and there is no cellulose-coating'on the face towards the writing surface but this face is full of ink and the silk and cotton are impregnated with ink and ink fills the interstices of said silk and cotton base, and there is no foreign material of any kind such as liquid cement, gelatine or an adhesive in between said coating and said silk and cotton base material, and,

said coating. is thoroughly dry before it is iinked in order that the ink may not be in-' jllred during the drying of the solventsand evaporationof solvents in the coating material which is on the face towards the type.

29. An ink transfer member comprising a compact paper base material, tightly and compactly fabricated and formed, 'coated on one face only with a powerful, protective film of a cellulose ester secured tothe uninked paper base, and said film being composed of a material so non-porous as. to be unfit for use as a screen to screen ink therethrouh to the type faces and said film being of su cient density to prevent the passage of ink therethrough to an extent sufficient to supply ink to a-writing surface to make impressions that are legible, and said film being applied and fastened to the type side of said ink transfer member an d being distinguished by the fact it does not impregnate the uninked paper base and does not fill the interstices of the base, and said film being thoroughly dry and noninjurious to the ink which is in said paper base and in the interstices of said paper base, penetrating through the body portion of said paper base but not through the outer face of said-film.

30. An inking ribbon comprising a ribbon of absorbent fabricated fibrous material containing ink and having opposed face portions at one of which its ink supply is exposed, and the other one of which has a surface film or coating of a cellulose ester material adhering directly to said fibrous material or base material, said film being of suflicient density to prevent the passage of ink therethrough to an extent sufficient to transfer ink to a writing surface or to the type faces, said film being fastened or secured to said ribbon while uninked, and being only vio us to ink, said coating being attached directly to said body portion before inking same.

32. An ink transfer member comprising an absorbent, compact, closely woven, tight base material, a coating, and ink, and having its edges impregnated with a cellulose ester materialimpervious to ink, and said coating being attached directly to said base before inking same, and said coating being expressly to extend the life of the base material and being on the face which is struck by the type. 33. An ink transfer member comprising an absorbent paper base, ink, and a coating material attached to the type face of said member as a superficial, overlying, superimposed coating which does not appreciably impair the absorbing capactiy of said base, said coating being secured to the base before inking and without the use of a third material be tween the base and said coating, the type face of said base being more wear resisting than the writing surface face due to said wear resisting coating, and said coating being of such density as to prevent the screening of ink therethrough tothe type, or to the Writing surface if the member were reversed.

34. An' inking ribbon comprising a ribbon of unadulterated'silk fabric free from natural gum and composed of yarn of a soft character and said fabric being very closely, tightly and compactly woven and of high thread count in both warp and filling, and containing ink on both faces, but much less on the coated face, said ribbon having opposed face portions, one of which is exposed and the other of which hasa thin coating of .a cellulose ester material adhering directly to uninked surfaces of the threads of the fabric and said silk was uninked and no foreign material was placed between said silk and said coating at the time said cellulose ester was applied to the uninked silk fabric and said cellulose ester was dry at the time the silk fabric was inked and said coating is unfit to transfer ink therethru and it does not impregnate said base silk material and there is no cellulose coating on the face away from the type.

35. An ink transfer member comprising ink, an uninked absorbent, compactly woven combination of silk and cotton, and a wearresistant coating matter fastened to one face 'sorbent silk and cotton,

of said uninked absorbent silk and cotton combination, and having one face of said uninked silk and cotton combination, only, coated with said wear-resisting matter and material, and said wear-resisting material being unfit to transfer ink therethrough to the type faces and it does not impregnate and does not fill up the interstices of said silk and cotton combination, and said coating being distinguished by the fact that no adhesive and no liquid cement and no foreign material is between it and said silk and cotton combination, and when said coating is thoroughly dry, it is of such character it cannot injure said silk and cotton and cannot injure said ink which is later a plied to said silk and cotton and said ink lls the interstices of said silk and cotton combination.

36. An ink transfer member comprising a compact, closely woven, tight uninked base material composed of a combination of abink, and a wearunfit resisting coating, said coating bein when for transferring ink therethru an thoroughly dry taking surface at least one ingredient of a typewriter ribbon ink, and said coating being on the surface of the side towards the. type and on said surface only of said base and said coating does not impregnate said base but said base is impregnated with ink and the interstices of said silk and cotton combination material are filled with ink.

37. An ink transfer member comprising an uninked base material tened securely to said uninked base material on the side to be struck by the type, and ink, and having the edges of the uninked base material impregnated with a material impervious to ink, and having no coating on the face towards the writing surface, and the coating on the type side is unfit for the passage of in through to the type faces, and the base is impregnated with ink and the interstices of the base are full of ink and the coating does not impregnate the base and does not materially impair the ink absorbing capacity of said base material, i

38. An ink transfer member comprising an uninked base material, a coating fastened securely to said uninked base material on the face to be struck by the type and towards the type, and ink, and having no coating towards the writing surface, and said coating is of such character that it is not possible to screen ink through same and it is possible to trans fer ink impressions to a writing surface from the uncoated face and said member carrying ink and nothing else on the uncoated face, and the base being impregnated with ink and the interstices of said base being full of ink and said coating does not materially reduce the absorbency of said base material and said coating extends the life of the base.

39. A transfer member of the character and retaining on its,

and a coating fasber has less ink on the coated face than it has on the face towards the writing surface.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

, I GEORGE E. PELTON. 

